The present invention relates to an apparatus for bundling and banding a stack of objects, particularly of heavy elongated objects, such as angle irons and other structural members. The invention is particularly useful in combination with a device which operates on the objects, e.g., cuts the objects into uniform lengths, and from which the objects may be caused to fall vertically into a stacking means. Such a device may, for example, be the angle iron cutting device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,380, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Prior automatic or semi-automatic banding devices for banding large heavy objects require the objects to be prestacked and then slid horizontally as on rollers to a precise position beneath a fixed top of the banding device and beside a fixed side or sides of the device.
In accordance with the present invention, objects to be bundled and banded fall to the bottom of a U-shaped channel bundler structure through an open top, one side being horizontally adjustable in accordance with the size of the objects so that the objects are automatically stacked on top of each other as they fall. When a predetermined number of objects have been stacked, the objects are clamped from above by a clamping mechanism and banded without any further movement of the objects being required.
In accordance with the invention, the banding process commences with one or more upper guide structures moving over the top opening of the U-channel shaped bundler structure, thereby bridging the two side walls so that a continuous guided path for the banding is provided. A banding assembly (or a series of banding assemblies disposed along the length of the bundler structure) then bands the stacked objects together. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, a first side wall of the U-channel shaped bundler structure includes the banding assemblies, each one composed of conventional banding elements, which feeds band from a band spool around the inner peripheral surface of the bundler and through the feeder a second time, tensions the band about the objects, and fastens the band about the objects. A band cutter disposed adjacent to a band spool cuts the band. The band is guided in its path by a corresponding vertical groove in the opposite wall and horizontal groove on the bottom surface and spring steel finger members extending over the vertical side groove.
After fastening each banding assembly is moved longitudinally by a pneumatic piston arrangement to disengage the corresponding fastened band. In accordance with the preferred embodiment the clamping mechanism is then released and the bundler structure is rotated about a longitudinal axis by another pneumatic piston arrangement so that the banded objects are supported by transverse rollers disposed vertically in the opposite (second) side wall and horizontally in the base. In this way heavy banded objects may be more easily slid longitudinally from the bundler. The bundler structure is then rotated back to its upright position and the bridging upper guide means is retracted to that another group of objects may be stacked in the bundler and the process repeated.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention all of the power to the system, except electric motor driven continuously revolving parts, such as the feeder, is provided by pneumatic piston arrangements. Computer control means may provide for control and operation of all of the power means associated with the apparatus for truly automatic control of the banding and bundling operation until just a banded stack of objects is ready to be rolled away.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for complete control of bundling and banding of objects such as angle irons or like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings and from the appended claims.